5 comments about The Complete Oil Painter: The Essential Reference for Beginners to Professionals.

1. I'm a self-thought artist and began oil painting at age 6 until I reached my early teens. I never gave up drawing though. I work as a graphic artist and also have work experience in the field of cartoon animation. Now in my early 30's, I decided to give a go at oil again but there were a few things in my art that bothered me. I thought of taking painting lessons, I looked around at the various schools in my area and gave up on that idea since it appeared obvious to me that all that these schools were offering me was to teach me "how to draw" from scratch, regardless of my advanced drawing skills - Instead I bought this book; "The Complete Oil Painter" by Brian Gorst and ".Problem Solving for Oil Painters: Recognizing What's Gone Wrong and How to Make It Right" (also a good book) which was recommended to me. Honestly, I thought that the later (Problem solving) would prove to be most useful but to my big surprise it was The Complete Oil Painter by Gorst - As a self-thought artist, I was simply lacking technique and knowledge of the medium. I didn't know what a ground colour was or how to varnish a painting! This book solved a lot of problems and answered a lot of questions instantly and it saved me hundreds of dollars in un-necessary painting lessons



2. As the first book I ever bought on painting with oil colours, I didn't know what to expect. Well, this book is really a great reference, covers everything - charecteristics of specific pigments, how to prime canvas and panels, which mediums do what.. and it has some very helpful demonstrations. What I was missing, is any word about glazing, which medium to use with oils (actuall ratio of distilled turpentine to linseed oil and so on), anything that someone that wants to be more of a pro would look for. But still, a great book.
   Also, since the author uses water-soluble oils, it is a very good book for people that use those. He explains everything for those too.



3. My instructor talked about this book in class and said it was a very helpful book to have. Being a novice, I took her advice and ordered one. It has been very helpful, with clear explanations concering color mixing and opaque and translucent color techniques. I can only recommend this book as a beginning oil painter, but have gotten great tips and my use of color combinations have greatly improved.



4. Just wanted to say I found the book informative but not actually for a true beginner, a first timer who wanted to try painting in oils. The book used lots of words and terms of reference that were unfamiliar to me without first explaining what these terms and words actually meant.
   Other than that I must admit I have learnt a lot from the book and would recommend it to someone with some familarity with the genre or a beginner with more brains than me perhaps.
   Thanks



5. This book is well organized, and offers practical information on the tools of oil painting, as well as organization and application.It does not give step by step lessons, nor does it suggest any particular style of oil painting. It is designed to aid the reader in whatever style or level. As a teacher of oil painting this is one of my most used books, and the one I recommend to my students.

5 comments about Sargent Portrait Drawings: 42 Works by John Singer Sargent (Dover Art Library).

1. I selected this book as a gift for my husband. He was delighted to see the drawings of Sargent and is planning on developing his skills by copying the works found in the book.



2. This book is one of the best buys i did this year. Sargent paintings are very famous but the drawings from this little book are amazing! Some of these portraits were done in the later phase of Sargent work and show great mastery of the drawing media (pencil, charchoal). There's a small text about Sargent that is very good too.



3. A good book full of great drawings by one of the best artist I have ever studied. The price is right and you should not waist one more minute before you order it.
   I always like to see how the great artist draw, since drawing is the back bone to good painting in my mind.
   I really get a kick out of artist who say they can't draw and can only paint, sure.. Thats like saying you never learned to walk and that you can only run.
   Sargent used to say you should draw every day and I think he was right.



4. The book is great. The ones who sent it didn't package it well. It is a paperback book and it came all bent up.



5. A remarkable bargain and a must for anyone interested in John Singer Sargent or his work. An 8 by 11 inch, less than 50 page paperback. Published by Dover. B&W reproductions of 42 portrait sketches by Sargent. Mostly done in charcoal. Two long pages of lucid and informed, really excellent text by Trevor Fairbrother, author of books devoted to Sargent and several articles as well. The reproductions are competent, but, as always, can be nothing like the originals, one of which I've many times had the privilege of admiring in person. Although here again, any one familiar with works on paper has seen how even the interposition of the protective glass, sadly, visibly degrades the viewing.
   
   The 42 sketches span a remarkable, interesting and even entertaining range. Arranged in almost chronological order, they stem from early in his career, but not his childhood, to near the end of his productive life, when he had almost entirely quit portraiture. Fairbrother skillfully has chosen an eclectic lot of Sargent subjects, well illustrating yet another facet of Sargent's personality. Although said shy unto retiring, Sargent must have liked people, at least the varied types of people. He certainly depicted all kinds. Here from a boy little more than an infant to the elderly and "important". The serious and the frivolous. Talented, self-made artists and performers to the witless-looking heirs and dismal aristocrats.
   
   The book's incredible spectrum of people / types and Sargent's genius at capturing both their surface and their interior, can form the center of quite a game easily played today via the Internet. For example, the portrait of a friend of Sargent's, one Earnest Thesiger. From this sketch one infers quite a character, seeming a person perhaps of manic ebullience. The very amusing facts in his bio on the web's Wikipedia rather bears this out. One learns further that Thesiger was the nephew of General Frederic Augustus Thesiger, 2nd Baron Chelmsford, famously incompetent in needlessly losing his entire army in a massacre by the Zulus. (One can imagine a portrait of a dim and blimpy character here. Thankfully, nowadays the British select more professionals for their general officers.) Sargent's jolly Earnest Thesiger further was cousin to the famous Wifred Thesiger, author of the autobiography, "The Last Nomad". Wifred Thesiger was a war hero, diplomat, author, explorer and skilled photographer. Among his other accomplishments, the autobiography describes Wilfred's tireless toiling in the Sharm el Shatt (where the south of Iraq borders the south of Iran) to bring modern male circumcision to the primitive marsh Arabs. (A people so independent in their watery wilderness that the late Saddam Hussein ordered the draining of their protective confusion of still waters and bogs.) Well, odd as it might seem, Wilfred's medical procedures were clearly an improvement over the native's, I imagine especially over a ceremony for teenagers involving a low-banked fire built in a shallow sand pit. But, I digress.
   
   However, that is the point, digressing from Sargent's wonderful portraits. What do they tell us; how can we follow up on our impressions? I'm returning to Fairbrother's book to select another sketch subject to mine for edification. I'm confident because Sargent has been described as having a large circle of interesting and talented friends. Except for those portraits of blimps.
   
   Again, an excellent book at a very reasonable price.

5 comments about Charley Harper: An Illustrated Life.

1. the unique wildlife art of charley harper did deserve a retrospective dais of honor, but the quality of printing is so low and disappointing...
   as a collector and a passionate wildlife and wildlife art enthusiast i would have bought this book anyway, but if you are looking for high quality art books, then this is not the right address/investment.
   Ron, Israel



2. My dad got this for me as a college graduation gift, and I love it. I've always wanted this book, so was thrilled when I opened it up and saw what it was :)
   In my opinion, the matte finish of the pages suit the artwork well. The only painting that might have benefited from a gloss finish is probably the large ladybug one where the body of the ladybug is one shade of red while the background is another shade...if you have this book and know what I'm talking about.



3. We also saw the program on CBS Sunday Morning and immediately purchased the book. We have had it now for 3 or 4 months. My husband and I bring it out often and keep looking and looking. You see something different every time; the complexity of the simple and the simplicity of the complex. This man's mind was amazing. We are going to buy another one so we can dissasmble it and create a wall of pictures in our son's room that can be changed from time to time. It is one of my favorite treasures. I can't wait until my kids are a little older to look at it with them.
   
   We are not graphic artists or book people. We just buy what we love. Our book does not seem to have any issues or problems. Just beautiful picutures that inspire our mind. Oh and the box it comes in is beautiful too.



4. I gave this large format book to my son who is a graphic designer. I had seen a segment on television about Todd Oldham's admiration of Charley Harper, and the story caught my imagination. My son loved it, and recommended it to a retail store where he works near the Savannah College of Art & Design. They now carry it. Full of inspiration for the artist or the aspiring artist in your life.



5. This is a wonderful book. I will treasure it for the rest of my life. I am a graphic designer and really appreciate his way of simplifying the most complex things in nature. Charley Harper was one of a kind.

3 comments about Antonio Lopez Garcia.

1. I have enjoyed, and continue to go thru this book. I am very pleased with this book. It certainly has been worth the long wait, before it became available. Thank you. WB



2. Yes this book is smaller than the $1,500. Rizzoli book, but it has great reproductions and newer work that isn't in the other book. This is a MUST have for any Lopez Garcia fan.



3. Why so inexpensive when the Rizolli book is $500 - $1000!!! Size. This book is 6 3/4 by 8 1/4. I appreciate anything I can get on the artist, but the person who put this book together should be shot. Metaphorically.

5 comments about Painting and Experience in Fifteenth-Century Italy: A Primer in the Social History of Pictorial Style (Oxford Paperbacks).

1. This was my first introduction to the art historian world and it was fascinating. Unfortunately, but only for me, is the fact that both my educational level and acquired knowledge of the subject were insufficiently advanced to fully appreciate the author's insights. That just calls for more work on my part to study up in advance. It should be taken as praise for Mr. Baxandall's pedagocic style which -- as the best teachers tend to do -- opened up new vistas, if only I choose to look.
   
   My only crticism is not of the contents or the author but of the publisher or more likely the editor. Perhaps it is pure economics which resulted in this insecure form of binding and too much type on each page to save space, while the juxtaposition of plates against the relevant text reference was very poor.



2. I really can't add more to Robert W. Moore's insightful review. However, I feel a need to counterbalance the ranting reviews posted by others on this page.
   
   In particular, the one-star reviews listed here are simply embarrassing. Clearly, these reviewers do not represent the intended audience for this book. It's not Michael Baxandall's fault that these reviewers were unable or unwilling to engage themselves with the depth, detail, and scope of his book. Ignore them.
   
   Here's a useful litmus test: If you would consider taking an art history course because you think it would be an "easy A," avoid this book. On the other hand, if you hold a genuine interest and enthusiasm for art history in general - and for Renaissance art in particular - this book should be well worth your time.



3. This book is what I would call hard to read, unless of course you already have a masters degree in Florentine art. As a student in an art history class that required this as one of our reads, I can say this book is crap, yes I mean crap. I have read many more well written books covering this subject in an easier to read format. I would defiantly not recommend this overpriced piece of firewood.



4. This is the kind of book that History of Art departments throw at you early on in their courses to instil the right respect and awe for the whole academic ritual. When I first saw this book I was duly impressed and intimidated into thinking this was somehow a classic. In this work Baxandall is the exemplary academic, slowly building up a case from painstaking research and cleverly interpreted trivia. This approach is fine and dandy until you reflect that at the end of it the conclusions Baxandall has laboured so hard to arrive at are perhaps a little banal -- i.e. Renaissance painting was influenced by such contemporary phenomenon as religious practices, dancing, and (oddly) the ability to judge quantities by eye. The reason this book works is that the Renaissance is such an attractive period that Baxandall's painstakingly dull technique receives a charming counterpoint in the endearing trivia of the period. Unfortunately this effect is not replicated in other works by Baxandall that I have looked at. To college students getting a dose of this, I would say, 'Enjoy the period, but think about how relevant this kind of hairsplitting really is.'



5. ... this book was tedious. there are very few books that make me say, "i'd rather be working!"
   you have to have a really high tolerance for italian art, or even art in general. a passing interest simply will not allow for an enjoyable read.
   ...

5 comments about Paint Watercolors That Dance with Light.

1. The author really reved up my creative juices. Her transparent colors are exciting. I especially liked her instructions for masking and making the most of the white paper. Her colors are intense and 'sing'. I learned a lot from this book.



2. This book was of great interest to me for her opinions on different techniques. I especially liked learning more about masking and glazes.



3. "Paint Watercolors That Dance with Light" is a very well written, easy to understand book that can be applied to other media as well. Her explanations are clear and concise. This book would be a great addition to any painter's library. Defnitely would recommend to others.



4. Elizabeth shares with me the meditative and contemplative aspects of painting. Additionally she values pure colour glazes and this has provided me with a new way of glazing, a technique that I love. The book is suitable for someone who has been painting and is dedicated to impovement. It builds on the knowledge that you already have and doesn't treat you as a novice. Thankyou Elizabeth, it is a delight to own your book.



5. The paintings capture light and shadows with incredible beauty and are inspiring to my own watercolor endeavors. The book is a worthwhile addition to any watercolorist's library.

5 comments about Creating Textured Landscapes With Pen, Ink & Watercolor.

1. I haven't had time to really get into it but going through the book she gives you some interesting techniques. I have not done much in watercolor and ink.



2. As with ALL of Claudia's books, this one is no exception - it is EXCELLENT!! She wonderfully illustrates in such a way that you are motivated to pick up your brush, watercolors, pen and ink and start painting!!
   
   It is a wonderful book to have to inspire you to paind.



3. I normally like her books on pen and ink, but this one has more to do with watercolor than pen and ink. I was disappointed and returned the book. It's a good book for to look at and you might be more interested if you want to know more about how to use watercolors. I have enough of those books!



4. Yes, the title says for landscapes, ink, pen and watercolor, but really you could apply the techniques in this book to just about anything. It has a huge sampling of textures and how to achieve them. Since I am a beginner, I thought the techniques would be difficult to learn, but the directions are incredibly easy to understand and non of the techniques are time consuming (aside from masking). Put this book together with Gordon MacKenzie's The Watercolorists Essential Notebook, and you have a complete watercolor art class through at least intermediate to lower advanced skill level. The images and text are easy to understand and give great reference. I do find the "handwriting" font a bit difficult on the eyes after a while, but otherwise a very well rounded book with easy to follow quick techniques that will really knock your socks off. Way to go Claudia Nice!



5. Just received this book today. It is very colourful and well layed out.
   
   There are tonnes of tips and techniques on watercolour painting as well as specfic examples and step by steps on different effects and how to acheive more contrast etc with texturing.
   
   Well worth it.

5 comments about 1001 Paintings You Must See Before You Die.

1. What an amazing compilation of some of the world's most beautiful works of art through the ages! As a museum geek, I've seen many beautiful paintings in my life and have been very fortunate to have traveled in Europe and was exposed to major art museums in countries than my own. This book has "filled in the blanks" if you will, and has opened my eyes to more modern art, as well as the old masters. I am now studying art history and plan on broadening my horizons by visiting many more museums and galleries throughout the world. I bought a copy for my mom and my girlfriend, and they love it too.



2. I am enjoying this book. I wish the paintings were of a larger scale, stil you can see the pictures well enough for recognition. There are many best parts but I enjoy the alpahbetical index that I am using to highlight my more appreciated works. I enjoy the explanation of the artist and style beneath the paintings. Each painting is pictured in this book in color. Great buy!



3. I bought this book based on the reviews here, I thought the book was pretty good.
   
   My main problem was with the size of the images. Someone here said most images are one to a page, or two to a page... and that the smallest images are an inch by an inch.
   
   I'd expected all the images to be a lot bigger. Many of the images, maybe even 25% - 50% weren't much bigger than an inch by an inch. This is a real problem if you are looking at the book as an artist and want to see how the brushstrokes were made a little bit etc. at least on some of them. But the images were too small for this, and no detail views were shown (except a very smalll number at the start of each section).
   
   I found it really hard to look at all the small images and take in the painting properly too. Many were just too small for me.
   
   I'd rather have had less white space and 30% bigger images, this could easily have been done without sacrificing much text or design quality. (The cover art was awful too!)
   
   I also bought '1000 Masterpieces of European Painting: From 1300 to 1850' at the same time and this book was so much better at having larger images and showing details than this book (despite the book being far SMALLER and having far less pages than this one too!). It had a nicer feel too, the arrangement of the images and text was far less uniform than in this book and therefore much more interesting. It did have less white space but was actually far more elegant despite this.
   
   The selection of images seemed very good though (despite the bad graphic design of the book) and it was well-made. It weights an absolute TON but then it would!



4. An enormous, beautifully compiled collection of artwork whose title I couldn't agree with more. Filled with easily digested insights into some of the greatest artwork in history, this almost 1000-page book is great for people only mildly interested in art or for serious art-core types.
   The pictures are lovely and there's just enough text to get you interested in someone new (or old) at every turn.



5. Did I get a bum copy of the book? Or is it a joke that the book contains 1,000 paintings to see instead of 1,001? The Kiss by Francesco Hayez is listed and pictured twice in my copy - but with different dates. The Kiss on pg. 429 is dated 1859. The Kiss on pg. 475 is dated 1881. Also, I've seen quite a few typos and wordos so far, and I'm half-way through. The book is cute, informative, but needs an editor ASAP before the next edition. Or let us in on the "joke" if that's what this is.

5 comments about The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques: Fifth Edition, Revised and Updated (Artists' Handbook of Materials and Techniques).

1. I had this book in the 1980's. Some significant changes on grounds like masonite so it is best to revisit what you thought you knew. But still an excellent resource.



2. The book was useful, but it was a real hard slog to read it all; unlike other books on this subject.
   
   Probably the biggest problems I had with was that many of the materials mentioned... I had no idea what they were because they are called something different in the US, plus many other newer materials weren't mentioned. The book was quite dated, and it made me wish I'd sprung a few extra dollars to get the 5th edition.
   
   But still, this book (perhaps the 5th edition rather than the 4th) IS essential reading for any serious oil painter. (If you can understand all the very technical and long-winded information!)
   
   I wasn't taught MOST of the technical information on oil paints at all at art school! It is great to have a bit of information on how to make your paintings last for many years. (I hate the thought of putting all that work in only for them to warp or crumble or peel in time!)
   
   This book is not suitable however for beginners or amateurs who only want to know the basics about materials and so on. (This is a difficult read and very technical, in my opinion.)
   
   A great book that does that is Encyclopedia of Oil Painting Techniques by Jeremy Galton which is suitable for beginners and serious painters alike (and has a LOT of pictures in it as compared to this book which is all TEXT!).



3. Essential for teachers and anyone wanting to know those hard to answer technical questions. It is the Bible for painting materials and other archival mediums and techniques.
   The Artist's Handbook of Materials and Techniques: Fifth Edition, Revised and Updated (Artists' Handbook of Materials and Techniques)



4. If you are searching for a book that will explain materials and tools for the artist this is the first book you should turn to. I have been referencing this book for a decade now and still have a lot to learn from Ralph Mayer, a man who spent his life investigating various techniques of painting.
   
   If you open this book up, you will come across just about any question you might have. For instance, I recently used Mayer for egg tempra painting. In his book he has a few pages regarding the subject, not many, but enough to fully explain the basics and get you started properly. He covers brushes, pigments, paints, from the obscure to the most basic.
   
   One section of the book that I am keenly interested in is his break down of a massive number of pigments where he goes into more detail on each than any other source I have come across.
   
   This is not exactly a how to paint or draw book. This book is intended for those who want to make a serious study of process practices in the correct manner for archival purposes. This is a must have book that should be in any painters studio.
   
   One last item of note: If you have used this book before and found it of interest, I highly suggest that the next time you are around New Haven CT that you visit the Yale 'Ralph Mayer' center. Yale itself has many museums and buildings worth visiting and the Mayer center is just one small highlight. Its staff was very kind when I visited. When I showed an interest in Mayer, they were eager to share some of the more interesting aspects of the collection.



5. While I don't work in oils, the coverage of oils seemed exceptionally deep. Material on pigments also was relevant to watercolor (something in which I dabble) and pastels (one of my major areas). I was disappointed not to find any real discussion of charcoal, graphite, or colored pencils. It would have been nice to get a slight discussion of materials not "professional", such as wax crayons.

5 comments about Game Development Essentials: An Introduction.

1. No complaints here, the author gives very good examples to go with each topic she's explaining. Great excerpts from industry professionals add additional insight into the reading.



2. Excellent book as an introduction to developing games - My students (and i) found it very hard to put down after reading through the first chapter!
   
   One question i have is about the instructor resource on DVD mentioned in the book. As this is the first time using the book for our game development course it would be helpful to have some material - especially the powerpoint slides. Does anyone know how to get a copy of this DVD? - Thomson learning doesn't seem to have a link for this resource.



3. Ordered this book for my husband's class. Not only did Amazon have it in stock, it was $20 cheaper than Barnes & Noble (with member discount) and that's even after upgrading the shipping. Was a little worried at first that the book wouldn't come quickly cause the tracking was awful, but it arrived fast.
   A note worth mentioning: this book comes with a CD as well even though it does not say so.
   
   My husband has not used this book much for his class yet, so as for the material I am not sure. But we are very pleased with the product & Amazon (as usual) so far.



4. I picked up this book as a possible replacement for the book that is currently used in my 'Game Design' course. This book is very attractive and professionally put together. It covers the material that would be essential (hence the title) when discussing the elements of game design:
   1. The history of the medium
   I found some annoying factual errors in this part of the book. Which initially turned me off but I continued to read since errors seemed to be in the sidebars which may not get the same editorial review.
   2. Who plays and why?
   This contained very interesting material for students to discuss with respect to player motivation, personality and gender. The eye-opening part for me was the view of game playing from the perspective of generations. Baby boomers, Generation X and the Millennial Generation look for different things from the games they play. (This part made me examine my own choices for games and the characters I am most attracted to in them!)
   3. The elements in a game - genres, platforms, player mode
   
   Part II is where the real gems are for people who really want to design games:
   4. The elements of storytelling
   5. Creating the characters/roles
   6. Creating the game experience, e.g. challenges
   7. Creating the World and Atmosphere (anyone else listen to the audio CD to remember the delight in playing the game?)
   
   The last part covers:
   8. The key roles/titles in the game development process
   9. The process of producing games
   10. The future of gaming
   
   The book ends with the following bonuses:
   11. A list of resources for those who are serious about actually getting into the game business
   12. List of books to read and learn more
   13. A CD with tools
   
   The key thing I value when spending time on a book is one - am I learning something new? This book offers many ideas central to designing video games. It is an excellent book for a course on the topic or for any budding game designer to pick up start the journey.



5. It's an excellent book. The fact that she included my incredibly detailed game design document in no way influenced my rating.